Mining Association of British Columbia congratulates new federal government

Karina Brino, President and CEO of the Mining Association of B.C. — Photo courtesy Mining Association of BC/Linkedin

Vancouver – The Mining Association of B.C. (MABC) would like to congratulate Prime Minister-elect Justin Trudeau and all elected Members of Parliament, in particular, the 42 members from British Columbia.

“We look forward to working with the new government on issues important to the mining industry in B.C. and nationally," said Karina Briño, President and CEO of the Mining Association of B.C. “We are an industry committed to British Columbians and Canada and we are confident in our ability to build constructive relationships with the new majority government under the leadership of Mr. Trudeau."

While proving resilient, the B.C. mining industry is currently experiencing a challenging economic environment. In 2014, the industry generated $8.2 billion in gross mining revenues in B.C. and made payments to governments in excess of $467 million dollars, not including the millions of dollars in personal and corporate income tax generated by mining operations; this is down from $9.9 billion and $674 million in 2011, respectively. Challenging market conditions have directly led to the suspension of mining and milling activity at various operations, resulting in an approximate 20% reduction in the industry’s total direct workforce. These conditions are expected to continue in the near future.

“Now more than ever, it is critical that governments at all levels support economic growth through targeted measures to bolster the mining industry, supporting job creation across the province," noted Briño.

Over the course of the election campaign, MABC met with candidates from across B.C. to discuss the value and importance of the mining industry to the economy and future job growth. The association met with more than 40 candidates, representing all major political parties and all regions of the province.

“We reiterate our commitment to work with our new federal government towards the growth and prosperity of our industry for the benefit of all British Columbians," concluded Briño.

The Mining Association of B.C. represents companies involved in the development, mining and smelting of metals, coal and industrial minerals in British Columbia.